Might Titans go for defense with first pick?

April 19, 2013|Reuters

The Sports Xchange

NFL Team Report - Tennessee Titans - INSIDE SLANT

Before the start of free agency, the Titans seemed like a lock to draft either Alabama guard Chance Warmack or North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper with their first-round pick, the 10th selection overall.

However, with their foray into free agency netting them prized Buffalo Bills guard Andy Levitre, as well as journeyman fill-ins Chris Spencer and Rob Turner (plus tendering restricted free-agent center Fernando Velasco), suddenly the interior of the Titans' offensive line looks much better. Perhaps good enough now that the Titans might be swayed in a different direction at the top of the draft.

Maybe defense?

The Titans' defense surrendered a franchise-record 471 points, and the most significant addition to that side of the roster was not a player, but a coach. Gregg Williams comes out of a year-long suspension from the NFL to help Jerry Gray coordinate the defense and try and improve a unit that was horrible at times last season.

The additions on that side of the football include players that can provide potential leadership for the unit, as Tennessee signed stop-gap safeties Bernard Pollard and George Wilson. Those guys are only short-term solutions, but their presence should make the unit better at least in intangible ways, which the Titans are hoping will translate on the field as well.

Defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill, also a free-agent pickup, has potential, but is largely unproven.

But the Titans' defense really lacks the two elements that have made the unit successful in the past, even dating back to the days when Williams ran the show the first time around.

Those two elements are a havoc-wreaker on the defensive line and a shutdown cornerback who can take away a side of the field successfully to help force the offense to funnel everything to another direction.

Those sorts of players might be available at No. 10, and the Titans have had several in for pre-draft visits. Players like ends Dion Jordan of Oregon and Barkevious Mingo of LSU could give the Titans the type of edge rusher they haven't had since Jevon Kearse's first tour of duty in Tennessee.

Or, the Titans could look at a playmaking defensive tackle like Florida's Sharrif Floyd, who also paid them a pre-draft visit. If that option is chosen, then the Titans could build the defense from the inside out and allow that interior tackle to occupy two blockers like Albert Haynesworth did, which allowed players like Kyle Vanden Bosch, Tony Brown and Dave Ball to enjoy a huge amount of success.

Of late, the Titans have been good at emitting smokescreens. Yes, they could still play it safe and draft Warmack or Cooper with the first pick, rather than gamble on a pass rusher.

But the past two years, the Titans have allowed the prognosticators and draft analysts to project a need for them in round one, only to go in a completely opposite direction on draft day. In 2011, most analysts had the Titans taking Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley. The Titans opted to draft quarterback Jake Locker instead with the eighth pick.

Last year, most people figured Tennessee for a cornerback or linebacker in round one. But when their turn came, they quickly grabbed receiver Kendall Wright.

With the predictions saying guard, the Titans might elect to address the defense in 2013.

-----------------------------------------------

NFL Team Report - Tennessee Titans - NOTES, QUOTES

--The Titans didn't want to lose quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, but when they could not come to terms on a reworked contract that would have added one more year onto the veteran's deal, they released him and in a corresponding move quickly moved to grab Ryan Fitzpatrick as Jake Locker's new backup.

General manager Ruston Webster explained the move.

"It was one of those deals where Jake Locker is our starting quarterback, and Matt was making a certain amount of money. We talked to him about his contract. Things probably weren't going to work out exactly like we wanted it to or he wanted it to," Webster explained. "Ryan Fitzpatrick had been released, and we were fortunate enough to get him on our team."

--The Titans will have coach Mike Munchak and general manager Ruston Webster hit the road shortly after the draft to visit the suburbs of Nashville for meet and greet sessions with season-ticket holders.

The "All Access with Webster/Munchak/Titans assistant coaches" events are set in Franklin, Hendersonville, Murfreesboro, Clarksville and Lebanon and will include discussions led by play-by-play announcer Mike Keith and will include a meal and a question-and-answer session.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Mr. Adams (owner Bud Adams) wants to win, just like we all do. He's always been for me pretty good from a player standpoint. That was no different this year. (Coach Mike Munchak) Munch and I were in complete agreement on what we needed to do and where we needed to go." - Titans GM Ruston Webster on the team's big run through free agency.